奥さん
okusan[o̞kɯ̟̊sã̠ɴ]
The Japanese word for mrs. Is 奥さん (okusan).
奥さん is commonly used to refer to someone else's wife, but it is also used as a polite way to address a married woman directly.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 奥さん is literally composed of 奥, meaning 'inner part' or 'back of a house' and さん, a polite honorific.
Which one should you use?
While 奥さん is used for someone else's wife, when referring to one's own wife, one should use different terms like 妻 or 家内 to avoid sounding boastful or impolite.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
奥様 is a more formal and highly respectful version of 奥さん.
How do you pronounce it?
okusan
Did you know?
- In modern Japanese, 奥さん is often used by strangers to address any adult woman who appears married, regardless of whether they know her name.
- The term 奥さん reflects an old architectural custom where the wife stayed in the 奥, or the innermost rooms of the house, to maintain privacy and distance from visitors.
- While 奥さん is used for others, using the term 家内 for one's own wife literally means 'inside the house'.
Examples in context
- 隣の家の奥さんに会いました。Tonari no ie no okusan ni aimashita.I met the wife of the neighbor.
Example conversation
Two neighbors are chatting in a local park.
- 陽葵 Himari佐藤さんの奥さんは元気ですか？Sato-san no okusan wa genki desu ka?How is Mrs. Sato doing?
- 蓮 Renはい、とても元気ですよ。Hai, totemo genki desu yo.Yes, she is very well.
- 陽葵 Himariそれは良かったです。Sore wa yokatta desu.That is good to hear.
- 蓮 Ren今度、一緒に会いましょう。Kondo, issho ni aimashou.Let's meet her together sometime.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 奥さん, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
